Low Carb Product and Ice Cream Review

Taste-testing the best low carb ice cream on the market. Which of these keto ice cream brands make the cut? This updated review includes some wonderful new products you may want to try. Plus some delicious homemade low carb ice cream recipes.

If you’re like me, you are always on the lookout for new low carb and keto products. Sometimes they’re food, sometimes they’re beverages, sometimes they’re kitchen gadgets that make the low carb lifestyle a little easier. And then you like to share with the low carb community at large, telling them about your new findings so they can reap the benefits. I’ve had a ball doing this lately, keeping my eyes peeled for anything that might make a good low carb or keto treat. I do have somewhat exacting standards, so not everything makes the cut.

And now that summer is here, I am all about the ice cream. I make plenty of it myself but I am delighted to see more low carb and sugar-free products hitting the market. I’ve tasted a lot of them…do they really live up to snuff? Read on and find out!

*Please note that some of these products have been sent to me for review, although the majority I paid for myself.

Bacon’s Heir Pork Clouds:I ordered these on a whim one day and fell quickly in love. I love the single serving packs and I love the flavours. It’s pork rinds gone gourmet, and without any questionable ingredients or additives. They do fry them in olive oil and I wish they chose to do it in the traditional lard. But they are so good, it’s easy for me to look past this. Watch out, though. The Habanero flavour is really, really hot!

The same company does “pork dust” too, pre-ground pork rinds for low carb breading and other uses. It’s pretty easy to crush pork rinds, but it might be nice to have a bag of this handy.

Wallaby Full Fat Organic Greek Yogurt:Finally! I reviewed Wallaby 2% Greek yogurt a few years ago and at that time, I asked if they had any plans for a full fat version. Not any time soon was the answer. I suppose I was just relieved that there was an organic brand that was not completely fat free. But just the other day, I saw this at my local Whole Foods and I think I squealed in excitement. It’s really good, really creamy and rich. And you want to know what’s in it? Organic milk and cream. And live active cultures. Just what true Greek yogurt should be.

Elli Quark Cheese:For some reason, I kept seeing the ads for this product on Facebook. Then I spied it at Whole Foods and decided to give it a try. If you check out their website, you will see that they have a ton of amazing flavours and they are all sweetened with erythritol and stevia (yay!). The plain was fine and was great with some fresh berries, but I give the flavoured varieties a big thumbs up. It was like having flavoured yogurt again, although I am sure they will cringe at my description. I honestly don’t truly understand the distinction between quark and greek yogurt at all and they taste quite similar. My only wish is that it wasn’t fat free as I am a girl who likes her dairy fat. But at 6 g net carbs for the whole cup, it’s definitely a great snack find.

Sahale Parmesan Cheese & Herb Almond Snacks:I’ve long been eyeing this brand of nut snacks because they always look so good. Alas, most of the varieties are quite sweet and not appropriate for a diabetic or low carb diet. So I was very excited when I saw this kind and thought they’d be a perfect on-the-go snack. And it really was delicious. BUT…and that’s a big BUT…I was surprised to see that the second and third ingredients were tapioca syrup and organic cane sugar. The total net carb count is still just 5 g but I have to wonder why a savoury nut snack needs the sugar. Perhaps to make it stick together a bit but I am pretty sure I could make my own version sans sugar. So although I really liked these, I recommend with caution. Good in a pinch but could be made a little more low carb and healthy.

Zipsicles: Have you seen these things? They are the answer to every mum’s desire to give her kids healthier ice pops and yogurt squeezers. And they’d be great for low carb treats for the adult too, although I haven’t really used them this way. I saw them a while ago and ordered a big pack last summer. I’ve been using them ever since to make my own low sugar yogurt squeezers to send in with my kids to school. They are a bit tricky to fill, so you need a good funnel with a mouth that fits into the opening. Or you can do what I do, and use pastry piping bags with a large opening decorating tip.

Low Carb Ice Cream Review:

I’ve been taste-testing a number of low carb ice creams and frozen desserts lately. I love making my own ice cream but sometimes you need dessert in a pinch and making a custard, chilling it and then churning it is just not practical. But not all low carb ice cream is created equal. There are some clear winners and losers in this battle for the low carb audience.

Arctic Zero:I don’t love giving negative reviews but I did not think this was a very good ice cream alternative. I picked up two flavours at Whole Foods, the Chocolate Peanut Butter and the Hint of Mint. They tasted like….nothing. There was barely any flavour to them and my son nailed it when he said they tasted like watered down hot chocolate. It’s not that surprising, when you look at the ingredients. It’s not really ice cream at all, there’s no cream or milk (there is whey protein concentrate), and it’s fat free. In this case, it also seemed to equal flavour free. Even at 5g net carbs, it just isn’t worth it to me. Some people seem to really like it, but I am not a fan. Neither were my kids.

Halo Top Creamery:This well known brand has recently expanded their line to include a whole bunch of new flavors, including a number of dairy-free frozen treats. I still quite like Halo Top but their formula seems to have changed and the carb count is a little higher now. It used to come out to 4g net carbs per serving and now it’s more like 6g to 8g, depending on the flavor. And all those wonderful exciting new flavors like salted caramel and cookie dough? Full of things like corn syrup and gluten. Corn syrup! Seriously.

I still buy these for my kids sometimes but as a someone trying to adhere more strictly to the keto diet, I give Halo Top a pass most of the time. If you are desperate, stick to the basic flavors like chocolate or vanilla and eat a small portion.

Enlightened: Low sugar and low fat, this ice cream brand has plenty of interesting flavors and it’s actually pretty good. My kids really liked it but similar to Halo Top, it has some iffy ingredients, including cane sugar and gluten. And being low fat, it isn’t as satisfying as a keto ice cream really should be. Besides, I am a little concerned about how they arrive at their net carb count, because some of the fiber comes from soluble corn fiber. Corn again! But also the fact that it’s soluble fiber suggests that it could affect blood glucose levels.

Again I suggest sticking to the basic flavors that don’t contain gluten and keeping your portions on the small side.

So Delicious No Sugar Added Dairy-Free Frozen Desserts: If you’re dairy-free, don’t despair. There’s actually a really great low carb dairy-free alternative out there for you too. Normally I am leery when I see “No Sugar Added” as it usually means there is plenty of sucralose which I don’t like. But this is sweetened with vegetable glycerin, chicory root and erythritol. Thus far, I’ve tried the chocolate ice cream, which is deliciously dark with a hint of coconut, and the chocolate covered mini vanilla bars. I give both a big thumbs up. They do contain carrageenan, which I know many people try to avoid, so just a heads up there.

Nutritional Disclaimer

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program.
I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them.
I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

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Comments

I LOVE the soDelicious sugar free icecream. Chocolate is my favorite, but the mint chip is pretty awesome too. I was able to have some of the bars while on vacation in Arizona and I thought I diedand gone to low carb icecream heaven. They, sadly, don’t carry them in my area and I’ve even tried to special order.

I’m with you on the Arctic Zero. Flavored frozen water is what it tastes like. I’ve tried to like it, my hubby has tried to like it, but BLECK! Do love SoDelicious, though! And while I don’t have to avoid carbs/sugar, I do have to avoid soy and love that they have soy free frozen treats I can enjoy! Going to try to find Halo Top today on my lunch hour. No promises there will be any left for my husband, though, if it’s that’s good 😀

Thank you so much for posting these! I will definitely check out the Halo brand. Low carb ice cream is great but like you said, it’s not always convenient to break out the ice cream maker, make custard, etc. Sometimes you just want the instant gratification and I’m happy that some good alternatives now exist! I’ve been trying out the Enlightened bars lately and some of them are really excellent. The Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl is a thing of beauty and at 5 net carbs (after subtracting erythritol and fiber) I’m sold on these as an occasional treat. Just thought I’d share. 🙂

Breyers carb smart is the BEST low carb ice cream going. The chocolate is hard to find, but the vanilla is great–creamy with good flavor and perfect to mix with diet Orange or A&W diet root beer. It’s also good underneath chopped strawberries or blueberries. You should try it, it kicks the crap out of anything else on the market.

I saw an ad for the carb smart Breyers so I looked it up. I’m looking for things with no sugar (and the ingredient list is too long, complicated and chemical laden) so it doesn’t work for me. If you’re interested, the ingredient list is:
Skim Milk, Water. Cream, Sorbitol, Polydextrose, Whey
Contains 2% or Less of each of the Following:
Glycerin, Natural Flavor, Propylene Glycol Monoesters, Cellulose Gel, Mono And Diglycerides, Cellulose Gum, Guar Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose (Splenda Brand), Carrageenan, Sugar

By contrast, Halo Top ingredients look pretty good but it lacks real creaminess which is, after all, part of the wonder of ice-cream. So, while the flavor is pretty good, if a bit on the heavy milky side, the texture is very disappointing. Here’s the ingredient list for Halo Top vanilla:
Milk and cream, eggs, erythritol, prebiotic fiber, milk protein concentrate, organic cane sugar, vegetable glycerin, vanilla extract, vanilla beans, sea salt, organic carob gum, organic guar gum, organic stevia.

I’ve not tried the carb-smart Breyer’s but I do like the regular Breyer’s ice-cream. In part, because they have better ingredients than other, big brand ice-creams that you can get in most grocery stores. Bottom line for me: if I’m going to be conservative of sugar and calories, I’ll take Halo Top and feel good about the ingredients. If not, I’ll cover my peepers and eat the real stuff. (If I’m gonna’ eat junk, I want the good junk.)

Unfortunately I can’t get HaloTop in my area AT ALL!!! Sad face! So I’ve resorted to Arctic Zero. The Cookie Dough and Vanilla Maple are not all that bad. Is it really ice cream? No. But it’s a good substitute. 🙂

Thank you for the reviews! I feel the need to go to whole foods now…. Another great ice cream is Clemmys…. It has malitol though, so I only eat a little at a time. Their chocolate peanut butter is awesome! Here is a link if you want to check it out. http://www.clemmysicecream.com/pints/chocolate

Great post! And just perfect for the week we’ve been having here in Portland too…I love that you mentioned Eastside Distilling, their products are fantastic. They make a great Holiday Spiced Liqueur & if you haven’t do so yet, I highly recommend taking the tour+tasting once they start doing them again, it’s really fun to learn about how they make all of the products.

Thank you! I am an ice cream person … and miss that the most. I haven’t tried these so I appreciate your info. I need to try making my own too. The pork skins sound great. The ones I get are so salty …. and sometimes that bothers me a little. Definitely going in search of the whiskey! Hopefully they will have it here in TX!

I agree…Arctic Zero is awful. I tried a few flavors and ended up throwing them all out. I just bought an ice cream maker and I was thrilled with the ‘easy’ recipe that I used. A trick to make it scoopable after putting it in the freezer is to put it in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds. Worked great!

Your earlier mention of Halo Top turned me on to it. It is available in Texas in the DFW area, at any rate. Sprouts Market carries it. It is definitely very tasty and the lemon one is especially good (I say this as an avowed chocoholic!). I’ve been lurking on your blog for a few years now and I just wanted to thank you, Carolyn, for your recipes and your blog. You and Maria Emmerich are my two go-tos when I’m trying to do the low-carb and/or keto thing and keep it as natural as possible. I have no particular dietary reason (such as diabetes or celiac disease) to do low-carb, other than I’ve been reading about it for years and have come to believe that it is probably best for health. I can eat a muffin or dessert (usually from one of yours or Maria’s recipes) and not feel as though I’ve “cheated” (I do try to avoid that language, but years of conditioning to believe some foods are “sinful” and others “guilt-free” are hard to shake!). I also appreciate that when I step on the scale, I haven’t gained! I’ve found keto/low-carb difficult as a weight loss tool, to be honest, but it seems to really work well as a maintenance diet. Since I am within 10 pounds of my goal weight, I really have to restrict calories in general to see any loss. Probably, I would have to restrict fat as well (and low carb, low fat is miserable!). At any rate, I love checking out your blog and do so on at least a weekly basis! I’m so glad you update constantly! Just wanted to drop you a line to show my appreciation! Keep on keepin’ on! 🙂

Thanks so much, Katie. I hope you figure out a good way to get to your goal weight. I think every metabolism is a little different and needs slightly different things. But you’re right, I do believe that low carb is just simply a healthier way to live.

Hi Carolyn
I wanted to let your California viewers know that Halotop is carried at Fresh and Easy stores, Ralphs and some Whole Foods. I too love Halotop and was saddened to see our Sprouts discontinue Halotop only to replace it with Arctic Zero…which is awful! Maybe your reviews will help bring it back into our stores. After reading your review, I’m gonna have to try the So Delicious brand of ice cream treats. Love your recipes and what you do for the low carb community!!! Thank-you

Love love love your review posts – so glad you’re doing more! You always have me learning about some nifty new product that I end up loving. I haven’t seen any of the Quark yogurt around here – might have to request it at my Whole Foods.

I’m always so jealous of the range of low carb foods you can get in the USA! Next time I visit I’m bringing an extra suitcase just to cram full of FOOD. Might have to leave the ice cream over there though 😉

Patty, I haven’t posted about them before. But I do just make a big smoothie for my kids (often contains higher carb fruits, it’s not for me!), and fill it with that. But I’ve seen some awesome ideas, including sweetened coffee. I need to try that one!

I lovelovelove the So Delicious sugar free ice cream in mint chocolate chip. You can’t taste the coconut at all and the texture is incredibly close to regular ice cream. Mint chocolate chip is my fave flavour so that’s an added bonus. 😉 Soooo good. I’ve tried the chocolate and thought it was ok but the coconut flavour was a little strong for my taste – although after the first couple bites I didn’t notice it at all and it became a good creamy chocolate ice cream. Plan on trying the vanilla bean when I’m next at home since I can’t seem to find it up here.

Thanks for your reviews and info about the products. I’ve already ordered the cherry whiskey and their marionberry whiskey, too (in time for Father’s Day)! Wegman’s and Whole Foods in my area carry the Halo ice cream, so I’ll need to get there to try it. Thanks again for sharing your info!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for the heads up on the So Delicious coconut ice cream. It’s the only one available in Canada and i found the chocolate and vanilla at my local Loblaws. Its really good and makes summer bearable!

Another low carb Ice cream I found at my local WholeFoods is called Clemmy’s. My favorite is their coffee but I also love the chocolate chip and vanilla flavored. I’ve never seen Halo Top but I will be keeping an eye out for it! Thanks!

Arctic Zero. The brand is very accurate on temperature: arctic cold; and taste: zero. I may have to find the strawberry as some one commented that it was good, unlike the other flavors. I have to google where to find Halo Top locally, other than Whole Foods.

Update for those looking for Halo Top: Kroger sells it! I’ve seen the chocolate, mint chip, lemon cake, strawberry and vanilla bean. You can also order them online in a variety pack directly from Halo (for most areas).

I guess I am the only one that can’t stand Halo Top “ice cream”. I find it just, not creamy. If only it were low carb AND high fat, it might be good. The way it is, it is only low carb, very little fat. Fat is what makes Ice Cream so delectable!

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Looking for the best low carb recipes? You've come to the right place! I'm Carolyn, a major carnivore and an unrepentant sweet tooth. Here you will find all you need to enjoy the low carb keto lifestyle to the fullest! Read more